Abstract: Stochastic models of biological networks are well established in systems biology, where the computational treatment of such models is often focused on the solution of the so-called chemical master equation via stochastic simulation algorithms. In contrast to this, the development of storage-efficient model representations that are directly suitable for computer implementation has received significantly less attention. Instead, a model is usually described in terms of a stochastic process or a "higher-level paradigm" with graphical representation such as e.g. a stochastic Petri net. A serious problem then arises due to the exponential growth of the model-s state space which is in fact a main reason for the popularity of stochastic simulation since simulation suffers less from the state space explosion than non-simulative numerical solution techniques. In this paper we present transition class models for the representation of biological network models, a compact mathematical formalism that circumvents state space explosion. Transition class models can also serve as an interface between different higher level modeling paradigms, stochastic processes and the implementation coded in a programming language. Besides, the compact model representation provides the opportunity to apply non-simulative solution techniques thereby preserving the possible use of stochastic simulation. Illustrative examples of transition class representations are given for an enzyme-catalyzed substrate conversion and a part of the bacteriophage λ lysis/lysogeny pathway.
Abstract: A Ground Control System (GCS), which controls Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) and monitors their missionrelated data, is one of the major components of UAVs. In fact, some traditional GCSs were built on an expensive, complicated hardware infrastructure with workstations and PCs. In contrast, a GCS on a portable device – such as an Android phone or tablet – takes advantage of its light-weight hardware and the rich User Interface supported by the Android Operating System. We implemented that kind of GCS and called it Ground System Software (GSS) in this paper. In operation, our GSS communicates with UAVs or other GSS via TCP/IP connection to get mission-related data, visualizes it on the device-s screen, and saves the data in its own database. Our study showed that this kind of system will become a potential instrument in UAV-related systems and this kind of topic will appear in many research studies in the near future.
Abstract: The radio frequency identification (RFID) is a
technology for automatic identification of items, particularly in
supply chain, but it is becoming increasingly important for industrial
applications. Unlike barcode technology that detects the optical
signals reflected from barcode labels, RFID uses radio waves to
transmit the information from an RFID tag affixed to the physical
object. In contrast to today most often use of this technology in
warehouse inventory and supply chain, the focus of this paper is an
overview of the structure of RFID systems used by RFID technology
and it also presents a solution based on the application of RFID for
brand authentication, traceability and tracking, by implementing a
production management system and extending its use to traders.
Abstract: In this paper, we propose a Perceptually Optimized Foveation based Embedded ZeroTree Image Coder (POEFIC) that introduces a perceptual weighting to wavelet coefficients prior to control SPIHT encoding algorithm in order to reach a targeted bit rate with a perceptual quality improvement with respect to a given bit rate a fixation point which determines the region of interest ROI. The paper also, introduces a new objective quality metric based on a Psychovisual model that integrates the properties of the HVS that plays an important role in our POEFIC quality assessment. Our POEFIC coder is based on a vision model that incorporates various masking effects of human visual system HVS perception. Thus, our coder weights the wavelet coefficients based on that model and attempts to increase the perceptual quality for a given bit rate and observation distance. The perceptual weights for all wavelet subbands are computed based on 1) foveation masking to remove or reduce considerable high frequencies from peripheral regions 2) luminance and Contrast masking, 3) the contrast sensitivity function CSF to achieve the perceptual decomposition weighting. The new perceptually optimized codec has the same complexity as the original SPIHT techniques. However, the experiments results show that our coder demonstrates very good performance in terms of quality measurement.
Abstract: Finite impulse response (FIR) filters have the advantage of linear phase, guaranteed stability, fewer finite precision errors, and efficient implementation. In contrast, they have a major disadvantage of high order need (more coefficients) than IIR counterpart with comparable performance. The high order demand imposes more hardware requirements, arithmetic operations, area usage, and power consumption when designing and fabricating the filter. Therefore, minimizing or reducing these parameters, is a major goal or target in digital filter design task. This paper presents an algorithm proposed for modifying values and the number of non-zero coefficients used to represent the FIR digital pulse shaping filter response. With this algorithm, the FIR filter frequency and phase response can be represented with a minimum number of non-zero coefficients. Therefore, reducing the arithmetic complexity needed to get the filter output. Consequently, the system characteristic i.e. power consumption, area usage, and processing time are also reduced. The proposed algorithm is more powerful when integrated with multiplierless algorithms such as distributed arithmetic (DA) in designing high order digital FIR filters. Here the DA usage eliminates the need for multipliers when implementing the multiply and accumulate unit (MAC) and the proposed algorithm will reduce the number of adders and addition operations needed through the minimization of the non-zero values coefficients to get the filter output.
Abstract: Migration in breast cancer cell wound healing assay
had been studied using image fractal dimension analysis. The
migration of MDA-MB-231 cells (highly motile) in a wound healing
assay was captured using time-lapse phase contrast video microscopy
and compared to MDA-MB-468 cell migration (moderately motile).
The Higuchi fractal method was used to compute the fractal
dimension of the image intensity fluctuation along a single pixel
width region parallel to the wound. The near-wound region fractal
dimension was found to decrease three times faster in the MDA-MB-
231 cells initially as compared to the less cancerous MDA-MB-468
cells. The inner region fractal dimension was found to be fairly
constant for both cell types in time and suggests a wound influence
range of about 15 cell layer. The box-counting fractal dimension
method was also used to study region of interest (ROI). The MDAMB-
468 ROI area fractal dimension was found to decrease
continuously up to 7 hours. The MDA-MB-231 ROI area fractal
dimension was found to increase and is consistent with the behavior
of a HGF-treated MDA-MB-231 wound healing assay posted in the
public domain. A fractal dimension based capacity index has been
formulated to quantify the invasiveness of the MDA-MB-231 cells in
the perpendicular-to-wound direction. Our results suggest that image
intensity fluctuation fractal dimension analysis can be used as a tool
to quantify cell migration in terms of cancer severity and treatment
responses.
Abstract: In this paper, by exploiting a single semiconductor
optical amplifier-Mach Zehnder Interferometer (SOA-MZI), an
integratable all-optical flip-flop (AOFF) is proposed. It is composed
of a SOA-MZI with a bidirectional coupler at the output. Output
signals of both bar and crossbar of the SOA-MZI is fed back to SOAs
located in the arms of the Mach-Zehnder Interferometer (MZI). The
injected photon-rates to the SOAs are modulated by feedback signals
in order to form optical flip-flop. According to numerical analysis,
Gaussian optical pulses with the energy of 15.2 fJ and 20 ps duration
with the full width at half-maximum criterion, can switch the states of
the SR-AOFF. Also simulation results show that the SR-AOFF has
the contrast ratio of 8.5 dB between two states with the transition
time of nearly 20 ps.
Abstract: In this study, inhibition of Microcystis aeruginosa by
antialgal alleochemical gramine, was studied by analyzing algal
metabolic activity (represented by esterase and total dehydrogenase
activities) and cell ultrastructure (showing morphological and
ultrastructure alterations using transmission electron microscopy and
DNA ladder analysis). After gramine exposure, esterase and total
dehydrogenase activities were increased firstly but decreased later. In
contrast with the controls, the cells exposed to gramine showed
apparent ultrastructure alterations with thylakoids in breakage,
phycobilins in decrease, lipid and cyanophycin granules abundant
firstly but dissolved afterwards, DNA in fragementation. The
occurrence of increase of metabolic activity and specific granules
reflected that the resistance of cellular response to gramine was
initiated. DNA fragementation associated with the increase of
metabolic activity and specific granules hinted that gramine caused M.
aeruginosa cells to initiate some morphotype of programmed cell
death.
Abstract: In two studies we tested the hypothesis that the
appropriate linguistic formulation of a deontic rule – i.e. the
formulation which clarifies the monadic nature of deontic operators
- should produce more correct responses than the conditional
formulation in Wason selection task. We tested this assumption by
presenting a prescription rule and a prohibition rule in conditional
vs. proper deontic formulation. We contrasted this hypothesis with
two other hypotheses derived from social contract theory and
relevance theory. According to the first theory, a deontic rule
expressed in terms of cost-benefit should elicit a cheater detection
module, sensible to mental states attributions and thus able to
discriminate intentional rule violations from accidental rule
violations. We tested this prevision by distinguishing the two types
of violations. According to relevance theory, performance in
selection task should improve by increasing cognitive effect and
decreasing cognitive effort. We tested this prevision by focusing
experimental instructions on the rule vs. the action covered by the
rule. In study 1, in which 480 undergraduates participated, we
tested these predictions through a 2 x 2 x 2 x 2 (type of the rule x
rule formulation x type of violation x experimental instructions)
between-subjects design. In study 2 – carried out by means of a 2 x
2 (rule formulation x type of violation) between-subjects design -
we retested the hypothesis of rule formulation vs. the cheaterdetection
hypothesis through a new version of selection task in
which intentional vs. accidental rule violations were better
discriminated. 240 undergraduates participated in this study.
Results corroborate our hypothesis and challenge the contrasting
assumptions. However, they show that the conditional formulation
of deontic rules produces a lower performance than what is
reported in literature.
Abstract: Finger spelling is an art of communicating by signs
made with fingers, and has been introduced into sign language to serve
as a bridge between the sign language and the verbal language.
Previous approaches to finger spelling recognition are classified into
two categories: glove-based and vision-based approaches. The
glove-based approach is simpler and more accurate recognizing work
of hand posture than vision-based, yet the interfaces require the user to
wear a cumbersome and carry a load of cables that connected the
device to a computer. In contrast, the vision-based approaches provide
an attractive alternative to the cumbersome interface, and promise
more natural and unobtrusive human-computer interaction. The
vision-based approaches generally consist of two steps: hand
extraction and recognition, and two steps are processed independently.
This paper proposes real-time vision-based Korean finger spelling
recognition system by integrating hand extraction into recognition.
First, we tentatively detect a hand region using CAMShift algorithm.
Then fill factor and aspect ratio estimated by width and height
estimated by CAMShift are used to choose candidate from database,
which can reduce the number of matching in recognition step. To
recognize the finger spelling, we use DTW(dynamic time warping)
based on modified chain codes, to be robust to scale and orientation
variations. In this procedure, since accurate hand regions, without
holes and noises, should be extracted to improve the precision, we use
graph cuts algorithm that globally minimize the energy function
elegantly expressed by Markov random fields (MRFs). In the
experiments, the computational times are less than 130ms, and the
times are not related to the number of templates of finger spellings in
database, as candidate templates are selected in extraction step.
Abstract: We propose a reduced-ordermodel for the instantaneous
hydrodynamic force on a cylinder. The model consists of a system of
two ordinary differential equations (ODEs), which can be integrated
in time to yield very accurate histories of the resultant force and
its direction. In contrast to several existing models, the proposed
model considers the actual (total) hydrodynamic force rather than its
perpendicular or parallel projection (the lift and drag), and captures
the complete force rather than the oscillatory part only. We study
and provide descriptions of the relationship between the model
parameters, evaluated utilizing results from numerical simulations,
and the Reynolds number so that the model can be used at any
arbitrary value within the considered range of 100 to 500 to provide
accurate representation of the force without the need to perform timeconsuming
simulations and solving the partial differential equations
(PDEs) governing the flow field.
Abstract: The purpose of this research is to compare the original
intra-oral digital dental radiograph images with images that are
enhanced using a combination of image processing algorithms. Intraoral
digital dental radiograph images are often noisy, blur edges and
low in contrast. A combination of sharpening and enhancement
method are used to overcome these problems. Three types of
proposed compound algorithms used are Sharp Adaptive Histogram
Equalization (SAHE), Sharp Median Adaptive Histogram
Equalization (SMAHE) and Sharp Contrast adaptive histogram
equalization (SCLAHE). This paper presents an initial study of the
perception of six dentists on the details of abnormal pathologies and
improvement of image quality in ten intra-oral radiographs. The
research focus on the detection of only three types of pathology
which is periapical radiolucency, widen periodontal ligament space
and loss of lamina dura. The overall result shows that SCLAHE-s
slightly improve the appearance of dental abnormalities- over the
original image and also outperform the other two proposed
compound algorithms.
Abstract: Solar energy has a major role in renewable energy
resources. Solar Cell as a basement of solar system has attracted lots
of research. To conduct a study about solar energy system, an
authenticated model is required. Diode base PV models are widely
used by researchers. These models are classified based on the number
of diodes used in them. Single and two-diode models are well
studied. Single-diode models may have two, three or four elements.
In this study, these solar cell models are examined and the simulation
results are compared to each other. All PV models are re-designed in
the Matlab/Simulink software and they examined by certain test
conditions and parameters. This paper provides comparative studies
of these models and it tries to compare the simulation results with
manufacturer-s data sheet to investigate model validity and accuracy.
The results show a four- element single-diode model is accurate and
has moderate complexity in contrast to the two-diode model with
higher complexity and accuracy
Abstract: Educational institutions increasingly adopt the
students-as-customers concept to satisfy their students.
Understanding students- perspectives on the use of this business
concept in educational institutions is necessary for the institutions to
effectively align these perspectives with their management practice.
The study investigates whether students in technology and business
disciplines have significantly different attitudes toward using the
students-as-customers concept in educational institutions and
explores the impact of treating students as customers in technology
disciplines under students- perspectives. The results from
quantitative and qualitative data analyses show that technology
students, in contrast to business students, fairly disagree with
educational institutions to treat students as customers. Treating
students as customers in technology disciplines will have a negative
influence on teaching performance, instructor-student relationships
and educational institutions- aim, but a positive influence on service
quality in educational institutions. The paper discusses the findings
and concludes with implications and limitations of the study.
Abstract: Early breast cancer detection is an emerging field of
research as it can save the women infected by malignant tumors.
Microwave breast imaging is based on the electrical property contrast
between healthy and malignant tumor. This contrast can be detected
by use of microwave energy with an array of antennas that illuminate
the breast through coupling medium and by measuring the scattered
fields. In this paper, author has been presented the design and
simulation results of the bowtie antenna. This bowtie antenna is
designed for the detection of breast cancer detection.
Abstract: In this paper, a mathematical model of human immunodeficiency
virus (HIV) is utilized and an optimization problem is
proposed, with the final goal of implementing an optimal 900-day
structured treatment interruption (STI) protocol. Two type of commonly
used drugs in highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART),
reverse transcriptase inhibitors (RTI) and protease inhibitors (PI), are
considered. In order to solving the proposed optimization problem an
adaptive memetic algorithm with population management (AMAPM)
is proposed. The AMAPM uses a distance measure to control the
diversity of population in genotype space and thus preventing the
stagnation and premature convergence. Moreover, the AMAPM uses
diversity parameter in phenotype space to dynamically set the population
size and the number of crossovers during the search process.
Three crossover operators diversify the population, simultaneously.
The progresses of crossover operators are utilized to set the number
of each crossover per generation. In order to escaping the local optima
and introducing the new search directions toward the global optima,
two local searchers assist the evolutionary process. In contrast to
traditional memetic algorithms, the activation of these local searchers
is not random and depends on both the diversity parameters in
genotype space and phenotype space. The capability of AMAPM in
finding optimal solutions compared with three popular metaheurestics
is introduced.
Abstract: In this paper, a novel contrast enhancement technique
for contrast enhancement of a low-contrast satellite image has been
proposed based on the singular value decomposition (SVD) and
discrete cosine transform (DCT). The singular value matrix
represents the intensity information of the given image and any
change on the singular values change the intensity of the input image.
The proposed technique converts the image into the SVD-DCT
domain and after normalizing the singular value matrix; the enhanced
image is reconstructed by using inverse DCT. The visual and
quantitative results suggest that the proposed SVD-DCT method
clearly shows the increased efficiency and flexibility of the proposed
method over the exiting methods such as Linear Contrast Stretching
technique, GHE technique, DWT-SVD technique, DWT technique,
Decorrelation Stretching technique, Gamma Correction method
based techniques.
Abstract: Robust face recognition under various illumination
environments is very difficult and needs to be accomplished for
successful commercialization. In this paper, we propose an improved
illumination normalization method for face recognition. Illumination
normalization algorithm based on anisotropic smoothing is well known
to be effective among illumination normalization methods but
deteriorates the intensity contrast of the original image, and incurs less
sharp edges. The proposed method in this paper improves the previous
anisotropic smoothing-based illumination normalization method so
that it increases the intensity contrast and enhances the edges while
diminishing the effect of illumination variations. Due to the result of
these improvements, face images preprocessed by the proposed
illumination normalization method becomes to have more distinctive
feature vectors (Gabor feature vectors) for face recognition. Through
experiments of face recognition based on Gabor feature vector
similarity, the effectiveness of the proposed illumination
normalization method is verified.
Abstract: Most scientific programs have large input and output
data sets that require out-of-core programming or use virtual memory
management (VMM). Out-of-core programming is very error-prone
and tedious; as a result, it is generally avoided. However, in many
instance, VMM is not an effective approach because it often results
in substantial performance reduction. In contrast, compiler driven I/O
management will allow a program-s data sets to be retrieved in parts,
called blocks or tiles. Comanche (COmpiler MANaged caCHE) is a
compiler combined with a user level runtime system that can be used
to replace standard VMM for out-of-core programs. We describe
Comanche and demonstrate on a number of representative problems
that it substantially out-performs VMM. Significantly our system
does not require any special services from the operating system and
does not require modification of the operating system kernel.
Abstract: This paper presents an effective framework for Chinesesyntactic parsing, which includes two parts. The first one is a parsing framework, which is based on an improved bottom-up chart parsingalgorithm, and integrates the idea of the beam search strategy of N bestalgorithm and heuristic function of A* algorithm for pruning, then get multiple parsing trees. The second is a novel evaluation model, which integrates contextual and partial lexical information into traditional PCFG model and defines a new score function. Using this model, the tree with the highest score is found out as the best parsing tree. Finally,the contrasting experiment results are given. Keywords?syntactic parsing, PCFG, pruning, evaluation model.